ne plus ultra

/ni plʌs ˈʌltrə/

When something is ne plus ultra, it's the very best or the highest point that can be reached. Making it to the summit of Mount Everest would be a mountain climber's ne plus ultra.

The Latin phrase ne plus ultra literally means "no more beyond," and it's famously said to have been inscribed on the Pillars of Hercules at either side of the Strait of Gibraltar, in part as a warning to sailors not to travel beyond the edge of the known world. Today it's used to mean "perfect," or a flawless example of something. For you, the ne plus ultra of cars might be a vintage Mercedes.

Definitions of ne plus ultra

1. noun

   the state of being without a flaw or defect
   synonyms: flawlessness, perfection

   types:

   dream

   someone or something wonderful

   cultivation, culture, finish, polish, refinement

   a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality

   fare-thee-well

   state of perfection; the utmost degree

   intactness

   the state of being unimpaired

   type of:

   state

   the way something is with respect to its main attributes